Paul Grod: Multiple citizenship key to repatriation of Ukrainians

by Paul Grod, Ukrainian World Congress President

Source: Ukrainska Pravda

Ukraine is on the brink of a historic decision: introducing multiple citizenship. As President of the Ukrainian World Congress, I am deeply convinced that Ukraine needs a united and strong nation where all citizens have equal rights regardless of where they live, where they were born, or how many citizenships they hold.

Today, millions of Ukrainians live abroad, especially since Russia’s full-scale war began. 

Many want to hold on to their Ukrainian passport, which isn’t just a booklet, but a symbol of their unbreakable connection to Ukraine. Our current laws force Ukrainians to choose between their homeland and opportunities abroad, and this harms our national interests.

The time has come to create a clear legal framework. 

This framework would allow Ukrainians worldwide to retain their Ukrainian citizenship while ensuring all citizens have the same rights and responsibilities. We aim for a unified Ukrainian people, with no divisions or classes of citizens. The multiple citizenship law must guarantee fairness and equality for every Ukrainian.

We want to see Ukrainians worldwide actively participate in rebuilding our homeland. Ukraine needs intellectual resources, experience, and investments in all areas of life — economic, political, social, scientific, construction, healthcare, and technology. Multiple citizenship will remove legal barriers, paving the way for the return of Ukrainians who genuinely love Ukraine and want to contribute to its development.

Concurrently, the legislation must include strict security safeguards. 

It’s crucial to clearly restrict citizens of aggressor states from obtaining Ukrainian citizenship and to introduce a mandatory oath to serve the Ukrainian people, along with exams on Ukrainian language, the Constitution, and history for new citizens. This will ensure that only those genuinely devoted to the state and who share our values receive Ukrainian citizenship.

Implementing multiple citizenship aligns with international standards and brings Ukraine closer to European norms. This will be a vital step toward integration into the European Union and global recognition of Ukraine as a modern, democratic state.

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) is consulting with parliament – known as the Verkhovna Rada, president, and government of Ukraine to ensure an effective and fair law is passed. This law will consider the interests of all Ukrainians, regardless of where they live or where they were born.

I urge the Verkhovna Rada to swiftly adopt an agreed-upon law on multiple citizenship. This law should be based on three fundamental principles: a single class of citizens with equal rights and obligations, clear security guarantees that limit which countries’ citizenships are recognized, and transparent requirements — including testing and an oath of allegiance to Ukraine with clear consequences for violations. This step will send a powerful signal to Ukrainians worldwide that Ukraine awaits them, their love for the country, and their desire to help it flourish in all areas of life. One country — one set of rights and obligations for all citizens. This is how we will build a strong and prosperous Ukraine together.